


Remember to Come Back

by TuppingLiberty



Series: Tupping Liberty's prompt ficlet series [2]
Category: Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Long-Distance Relationship, M/M, Past Abuse, Past Rape/Non-con, Phone Sex, Violence, alternate universe - coffee stand, barista!Finn, cat!bb8, death of non-major character, engineer!Poe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-23
Updated: 2017-05-14
Packaged: 2018-06-10 03:40:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,424
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6938242
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TuppingLiberty/pseuds/TuppingLiberty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Finn works the night shift at a coffee stand between the highway and the university, but with school out, he's bored. That is, until Poe Dameron, charmingly confused, comes to the coffee stand to get directions. And then keeps coming back.</p><p>Chapter 1 was originally posted as a chapter of "I don't know how to say no to this" - my collection of tumblr ficlets.  For new content, skip to chapter 2.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Meet-Cute

June 1st:

Finn sighed. It was the slow part of the evening, with the college kids gone from town. No one wanted espresso at 12am, but this particular First Order stand stayed open 24/7 because of the proximity to both the college campus and the highway.  However, with finals week over, the rush for late-night caffeine was over, and late travelers on the interstate were hit or miss, so Finn was bored. At least he was getting paid to be bored, he thought, as he fiddled around on his phone, then pulled out his book.

At the sound of a car, Finn hurriedly marked his place, opened the window, and leaned on the windowsill, broad smile on his face. Smiling and sunny personalities were a requirement at First Order. “Hi, how can I help you-” today. He was supposed to end that phrase with “today” but the word got caught in his throat as he looked down at the fine specimen in the beat up black sedan with brown curly hair and a beard in need of trimming. The poor thing looked up at him with a confused expression, a little like a lost puppy.

“Hey, yeah, do you know how to get to Riverside? I am completely turned around.” The man pulled a paper map over from the passenger seat. Finn looked in the car, which was filled to the brim with various boxes and pieces of luggage. Even the passenger seat was full, a little plastic carrier buckled in, though what the critter was, Finn couldn’t see.

“Just moving to town?”

The man smiled up at him. “Yeah. You’re the first place I’ve seen open.”

“Summer hours,” Finn explained. “With the college kids gone…” Finn tried to lean farther out, to point out the street the newcomer was looking for, but a sudden spasm gripped his back, and he almost toppled out of the window, managing to catch himself at the last second.

“Oh, shit, sorry buddy,” the man said, alarm on his face as he unbuckled himself and stepped out of his car. “Here, let me make this easier.”

Recovered, but embarrassed, Finn helped the guy spread out the map on the kiosk counter. “Here’s where we’re at, and here’s Riverside. So you just need to take a right down here, and then a left at Hamilton, and you should be golden.”

“Golden,” the man laughed, and Finn wanted to sigh. His eyes crinkled at the corners when he laughed. It was fucking adorable. Finn let himself think the thought for exactly three seconds before shoving it away.

“Welcome to town.” Finn held out his hand. “Finn. I’m here nightly for your every caffeine need.”

The man clasped his hand, giving a firm shake. “Good to know. I’m Poe.” A yowl sounded from inside the car. “Oops, that’s BB-8. She’s had a long ride, I should probably get going and let her out in her new home.”

“Right - well, nice to meet you, Poe,” he said, smiling his customer service smile again.

“And you, Finn.” Poe swept a hand through his curls before gathering up his map, climbing back in his car, and driving away, waving.

Finn waved back, closing the window and picking up his book again.

June 2:

Finn hadn’t been expecting to see Poe again so quickly.  In fact, when he’d gotten home at 6:30am, night shift done, he’d decided to put the attractive man completely out of his mind. It’s not like Finn was looking for anyone or anything right now, not after his experience with Jake. Finn shuddered, then went through the short breathing exercise his counselor had taught him for when thoughts of Jake kicked up his heart rate. _Jake can’t hurt me._ Having to go through the whole process meant that by the time he’d thought of Poe again, his mind wasn’t exactly being favorable towards men.

Then again, when Poe walked up to the stand that evening around 11:30pm, Finn’s immediate instincts were only pleasant ones. His counselor would take that as progress, Finn decided, as he opened the stand window. “Well, hey there, newcomer. How’d town treat you today?”

“Oh, it’s fine. Got distracted, worked through dinner,” Poe said, and Finn got the impression that he was still distracted by something. “Do you guys sell any food?  You were two blocks closer than the Stop N Go.”

Distracted Poe was also adorable. “Well, nothing substantial.” Finn turned away from the window and checked the fridge. “Looks like we didn’t sell out of muffins this morning, though.  How do you feel about orange-cranberry?”

“Sure,” Poe answered distractedly, staring up into the night sky.

Finn set the muffin in front of Poe, who didn’t grab it. Finn smiled a little, turned, and quick steamed some water before adding a tea bag. “Here. Tea’s on the house.”

Poe focused back on Finn, taking the muffin. “Tea?”

“Chamomile. It’ll help you relax. The muffin’s two dollars.”

Poe handed him some bills - the man had tipped him for pulling a muffin out of a fridge, bless him -  and took the paper cup of tea. “How’d you know I needed to relax?” He took a sip before even waiting for Finn’s answer.

Finn shrugged. “Working through dinner. Walking it out. I thought maybe work was giving you trouble.”

Poe set the tea down and began to break apart the muffin. “You’re pretty perceptive, Finn.”

_Not always. Not when it counts._ Finn shook the thought from his head. “Well I hope the tea helps.”

“Do you mind if I eat here?  My apartment is really stuffy.”

“No, of course not. Not like I’ve got a line,” Finn said, gesturing to the quiet world outside the window.

Poe finished a bite of muffin and looked around, as if just now taking in the fact that the drive-through was deserted. “Does business ever pick up?”

“Not this time of year. But people hardly ever want to pick up this shift so I come in. It makes shit for tips, though,” Finn admitted, and then turned sheepish when he remembered Poe had tipped him, and very well, at that. “Thank you, I mean. Every little bit helps, right?”

Poe had an uncomfortable look on his face, like he was just realizing that he and Finn might come from very different economic backgrounds. Finn groaned inwardly. The guy was too nice for his own good. Poe preoccupied himself by breaking off another bite of muffin awkwardly. “So, coffee stand, is this what you do?”

“Most nights in the summer. I also work at the local high school. Paraprofessional.” At Poe’s confused look., he explained, “Uh, I get paid to work in the classroom, normally with specific students.”

Poe nodded thoughtfully. “Do you like working with the kids?  I’m here to work at the university on an engineering project, but I don’t think I’d like teaching.”

Thinking about his work at the school made Finn smile. “Yeah, the goobers are pretty lovable.”

Poe seemed distracted again, but Finn slowly realized that he was being distracted by Finn. Squirming under Poe’s gaze, Finn grabbed a wet towel and began to clean the barista area. When he chanced a glance back at Poe, the man was looking away, his cheeks a little red. Poe balled up the muffin wrapper, then looked around. Finn held out his hand to accept the trash, and Poe rewarded him with one of those smiles that made his laugh lines stand out. “Thanks, buddy.” Poe held up the tea in a salute. “For everything.” He began to walk away.

Finn realized he was smiling involuntarily, his genuine smile, not the one he reserved for customers or parents or the principal. “No problem, pal,” he called to the retreating figure.

June 4:

The 6am rush was hitting just as Finn was clocking out, and when he exited the stand, he had to walk past a line of cars waiting patiently - or not so patiently, from the look on the guy in the SUV’s face - for coffee. He was unlocking his bike when he heard, “Finn!”

Looking around, he saw the beat up black sedan - an old Toyota - and Poe waving from the rolled down window. Finn finished unlocking his bike and rolled it over to Poe. “Hey, Poe.”

“Hey, I didn’t think you’d still be working.”

“Just got off shift.  You looking to avoid me?” Finn wasn’t sure where the teasing tone had come from.

“No, I, heh, I was just wondering when you sleep, is all.” Poe looked sheepish, and once again, Finn thought, too nice for his own good.

Finn strapped on his helmet. “ _I’m_ not the one who has a day job and eats dinner at 11.”

“True.” Poe and Finn both looked ahead as the car in front of Poe slowly pulled forward in line. Poe looked like he wanted to linger, but Impatient SUV Guy had transformed into an Angry SUV Guy, and he honked his horn at Poe, causing both of them to jump. “Oh, well, okay,” Poe said, as if being personally offended by the guy was too much to deal with.

Finn was dying to flip the guy the bird, but he was a regular, and Finn knew he’d get reported to corporate. “See you around, Poe,” he said instead, throwing a leg over his bike.

June 7:

Finn didn’t see Poe again for a few days, though he didn’t really register that fact until he saw Poe walking up and thought, _oh, good._ It was another late night visit, and Finn threw the window open, though his own eagerness caught him off guard. “Work through dinner again?”

Finn quickly noted that it wasn’t regular Poe, but Distracted Poe that had walked up to the stand. “Hi, Finn. Any muffins?”

Within a minute, Finn had a cup of tea and a muffin placed in front of Poe. “Not that I don’t love the business, Poe, but couldn’t you just stock up on easy foods at the store?”

Poe took the tea first, sniffing it appreciatively, and his eyes seemed to clear. “Sometimes when I’m on a project, I get obsessive. I need to break away from it. Walking helps. Talking helps.” Poe eyed Finn over the lid of the tea, and it took a lot of Finn’s willpower not to reach out and caress one beard-shadowed cheek, offer comfort. This was not something he wanted to get tangled in right now.

Instead, he said, “What are you working on?”

Poe made a face. “I’d rather not talk about it, sorry. I’m just annoyed with it right now.” Poe took a bite of muffin. “Let me know if it’s too personal, but how come you’re not a teacher? If you love the kids so much?”

Finn pursed his lips, because it was personal. Having to relocate after the incident with Jake had interrupted his schooling, and he was barely keeping his head above water trying to be able to afford therapy on his income, let alone the medical bills he was still paying. Something must have shown on his face, because Poe put up a hand. “Sorry, I’m a curious person, and sometimes it gets me in trouble.”

Finn smiled a little. “It’s okay. I couldn’t afford the schooling,” he replied, because it was at least partially true. As Poe continued to eat the muffin, looking self-conscious, Finn took pity on him, launching into a story about one of his kids at school and ‘oversharing.’

June 20:

Poe had become one of his regulars, despite the fact that Finn could never count on him coming at a regular time. He rarely went more than twenty-four hours without having Poe stop by the stand, whether it was in the evening or as Finn was getting off of work. They never chatted for more than five minutes, and it made Finn wonder how they had become friends when they’d only spent a matter of an hour or two accumulated over weeks together.

But they _had_ become friends. _Just_ friends. Maybe Finn gave off a vibe, because he’d seen Poe send him an interested glance more than once, but Poe had never acted on it, never made a move. Poe was, above all, a gentleman. A cute, funny, dork of a gentleman. Finn wasn’t entirely sure he would reject a move from Poe at this point, but he appreciated that, even if Poe didn’t know his background, he was letting Finn make the first move. And Finn was nursing his crush, deciding if he really wanted to make a move or not.

July 14:

Visiting with Poe was the highlight of his day, every day.

He thought it might be the highlight of Poe’s day, too, because Distracted Poe never visited him anymore. It was always Fascinated Poe. That Poe found him fascinating made Finn want to laugh in delight, even as it confused him. He began to perch himself on the stand window, opening it as soon as he saw Poe walking his direction and leaning out to greet him with a muffin and tea by the time he’d walked up. He wasn’t trying to get Poe to leave sooner; instead, he was trying to get the stupid little necessities out of the way so that they could talk for longer.

“You should join me,” Poe suggested that night. “This tea is my favorite, now.”

Finn smiled. “I’ve got six more hours on this shift, I probably shouldn’t be drinking something designed to put me to sleep.”

“Make yourself something, then. I’ll buy.” Poe winked at him.

Finn rolled his eyes, but turned to the machine to start some espresso shots. As he started to steam milk, though, he turned to glance at Poe, caught him looking at a part of Finn that was decidedly not his face, and jerked, spilling scalding hot milk all over himself. “Shit!” He held his t-shirt away from his skin, but it was still too hot, and he peeled it off without thinking, turning away to get a cold cloth for the hurting skin on his stomach.

Behind him, Poe gasped, a little belatedly, Finn thought. “I’m okay, it’ll be fine. I’ll grab one of the extra shirts. Stupid clumsy me.” He turned, holding the cool cloth to his abs, and saw that Poe was still staring at him, a shocked expression on his face. _Shit._ In the heat - _haha_ \- of the moment, he’d forgotten about his back. He’d forgotten about his scar. Poe had seen his scar, and now was looking at him with a horrified expression, and suddenly Finn couldn’t handle that Poe knew, had seen. Poe knew something horrible had happened to him, anyway. Finn collapsed against the counter, still holding the cloth, out of Poe’s sight. His vision tunneled until everything in front of him was out of focus, his breath whistling through his teeth, until a hand lightly guided his head down between his legs.

“You need to breathe, Finn,” came Poe’s panicked voice. “I don’t know… I don’t know how to deal with this. I need you to breathe, buddy.” The hand on his back was tentative, but it helped him focus, and slowly, very slowly, Finn was able to calm, to bring his breathing back to a normal rhythm.

He couldn’t bring himself to raise his head and look at Poe, though. He brought up his knees, resting his head on them and burying his face. “You should go,” he whispered, his voice hoarse.

The hand left his back. “Not a chance, buddy.” Finn heard Poe settle down on the floor near him. When he looked up, Poe was leaning against the other counter, cross legged, a patient look on his face. “Is there someone I can call? You should go home, lie down. Put something on your stomach.”

It was Poe’s absolute willingness to let the moment pass unquestioned that made Finn open up. “My ex-boyfriend, Jake. He went a little crazy.” Finn let out a hysterical little laugh. “A lot crazy.”

Poe’s eyes were hard. “Did he - what happened to him?” Finn looked down again. “It’s okay, you don’t have to tell me.”

Finn’s breath was thin and shaky. He felt raw and exposed, like Poe was looking into the very center of him. “I had to defend myself. He didn’t survive. I had to defend myself,” Finn repeated. Poe unfolded his legs and nudged one of Finn’s feet with his own, leaving it there like a small act of comfort. And somehow it was just enough to keep Finn from hyperventilating again.

“Let me call someone, Finn. You shouldn’t have to keep working after that.”

The shaking had started. Finn knew Poe was right; he’d be useless for making drinks the rest of the night. He needed to go home, take one of his pills reserved for emergencies like this, and sleep. And so he nodded, quietly, handing his phone over to Poe with the right number pulled up. He heard Poe explain that Finn had gotten ill and needed to go home. He felt Poe give him the phone back and help him put a shirt over his head and stand. He saw Poe leave the stand again, waited as Colette, still rubbing her eyes, came and found him, still standing dazed, telling him that he sure did look like shit and to head home.

Finn stumbled out of the stand, knowing that his shaking hands were too far gone to be able to unlock his bike, and resigned himself to walking home. He stopped short when he saw Poe pull up in his car, and then Poe was bundling him into the passenger seat and asking him for directions. At Finn’s tiny studio apartment, Poe took the keys and let them in. Finn shuffled straight for the bed, energy entirely drained. He managed to ask Poe for a glass of water to take his pill, and the last thing he clearly remembered was Poe spreading a blanket over him.

July 15:

Poe wasn’t there when Finn awoke. It was probably for the best, Finn decided. In the aftermath of the panic attack, only embarrassment remained. Still, he called into work, taking that night off as well. He spoke with his counselor on the phone, then put on something mindless on Netflix and alternated between asleep and awake, trying to maintain his night shift sleep schedule even if he had called in. 

Around 7, though, he was roused by a knock on the door. After checking through the peephole, he tried to plaster a pleasant expression on his face and opened the door to Poe, who was holding a grocery bag.

“Okay, first of all, feel free to tell me to fuck off, and I take no offense. But I’ve got chicken soup, chamomile tea, and the latest Pixar movie, and I can stay and share or, like I said, I can get out of here.”

Finn contemplated him for a long moment, then stepped back, letting Poe in. 

“Uh, the soup is canned. I hope that doesn’t change your decision.” Poe offered a small smile. 

“I’m sure it’ll be great,” Finn said, smiling a little as well.

Now that he was inside Finn’s place, Poe didn’t once mention the night before. They ate soup on the couch and laughed (and cried a little) at the movie. Poe offered to help Finn stay up to maintain his schedule, and they switched to a card game, but when Poe started chain-yawning, Finn convinced him to leave. “This is me telling you to fuck off,” Finn said. “But, you know, nicely. And for your own good.” He winked at Poe, then stood in the doorway to watch him leave.

And just like that, they went back to their routine, like nothing had happened, even if Finn felt like everything had shifted.

August 10:

Poe was waiting for him when he showed up for his shift. The man was making small talk with Thomas, whom Finn was replacing, and when he saw Finn coming on his bike, he actually lit up. “Finn! We finished!” Poe was so exuberant, Finn wanted to hug him.

“Finished?” he asked as he unhooked the chin strap on his helmet. 

“The project, at the University.  We finished! Jose and I had a breakthrough this morning, and now they’ll be testing everything, but my consulting job is done.”

“That’s…fantastic, Poe!” Finn had to force the enthusiasm into his voice. Poe was going to be leaving. Finn berated himself for getting so attached; he’d known all along that Poe would leave eventually, but Poe had slipped into his life so easily. Like he belonged there. Like he knew Finn’s darkest secrets and kept being his friend anyway, when at any time he could have just stopped showing up for a muffin and tea. “I’m really happy for you. Um, I need to get inside now, let Thomas go.”

Poe nodded, obviously still on a high from completing the project. “Right, of course.”

“And you probably need to start packing,” Finn said in a low voice.

Poe’s face fell, and he swallowed. “Right, of course,” he repeated. “Right. My firm’s sending me to Texas next.”

“Right. That sounds fun.” Finn entered the stand, expecting Poe to come around to the window, but when he looked out, he saw Poe walking away. He let out a shaky sigh, then resigned himself. It was for the best.

August 12:

“Finn, someone on this side’s asking for you.” Tina switched spots with him deftly, taking over the order Finn had been doing.  They’d hit an early morning rush again, a line up before Finn even got off shift. When he got to the window, there was Poe, car packed, BB-8 in her carrier strapped into the passenger seat.

“I just wanted to say goodbye,” Poe said. “And thanks, for everything.”

Finn opened his mouth, unsure what he should say. Then: “Don’t go. Or don’t go alone. Or, I don’t know. I just don’t want to never see you again.”

“I travel, Finn, that’s what I do.” But Poe’s face betrayed his words, looking up at him hopefully. Then, he opened his door, ignoring a honk behind him, and stood in front of the window.

“Even travelers have homes to come back to. Don’t go without… you can’t leave without…”

“Without?”

Finn leaned out, running a hand over the beard that needed taming again. “Without knowing how I feel about you. Without knowing that I … like you a lot, that I’ve been wishing all summer I had the courage to do this.”  He cupped Poe’s head in his hands, pulling him closer, brushing his lips with a kiss, then leaning back a little to look into Poe’s eyes. 

The spell was broken with Angry SUV Man honked again. Then, another regular, Tall White Chocolate Latte, leaned out of her rolled down window to yell at Angry SUV Man. “Shut up! This is adorable! Let them have their moment!” Then she turned to Finn and Poe and yelled, “Keep going, honeys, true love is important!” 

Laughing, Poe closed the gap this time and pressed his lips to Finn’s, with more pressure and confidence than Finn had shown. The honk sounded again, and Finn pulled back, smiling. “You better pull around before there’s an incident.”

Poe stole another kiss. “But I don’t want to leave you.”

“Good,” Finn replied, grinning. “Pull around, I’ll finish this line up and meet you.”

Excitement washed over Poe’s face, and he pulled out, behind the stand and out of Finn’s sight for the moment. Finn apologized to Tina, then turned back to get the next order, when he saw Poe again, walking along the lines and handing everyone a small card. When he got to the customer Finn was trying to serve, Poe broke in, saying, “Sorry for the hold up. Here’s a free coffee card, I had them all saved up. Don’t forget to tip.” He flashed a grin at Finn and disappeared again.

Finn’s smile was genuine as he served the line of cars. He wasn’t sure exactly how he and Poe were going to work everything out, but they were going to try, and that was perfect for now.


	2. 24 Hours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finn describes his domestic abuse with his ex-boyfriend Jake, in this chapter. I know I tagged it, but I just wanted to warn anyway.

August 12:

Poe was waiting right where he said he would be when Finn finished with the morning rush, and suddenly Finn felt awkward. _What do you do after the “please don’t leave” declaration? Especially when you really don’t know each other that well?_

Poe looked at him earnestly, and held out a hand. Finn took it shyly. “Um,” Finn started.

“This is going to be weird,” Poe said at the same time, then paused when he realized Finn had tried to say something.

Finn smiled, wanting to cringe. “Go ahead.”

“Uh, I’d like very much to take you somewhere. Breakfast?”

Finn’s smile grew a little bit. “I’d like that too. What’s the weird part?”

“Well, I already handed in my keys, and it would be cruel to leave BB in the car in her cage.” Poe rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Could she stay at your place?”

Finn bit down on his lip nervously, which drew Poe’s eyes. “As long as we sneak her in and out. I didn’t pay a pet deposit, and I can’t really afford to be evicted.”

Poe’s eyes drifted back up to his, and he looked embarrassed. “I knew this would be weird.”

Finn sighed internally over the adorable look. _This was Poe._ They may not know each other well, yet, but Poe knew the important details about his ex, which meant Finn wouldn’t be keeping some deep dark secret from him. Everything else would be infinitely easier. Determined, Finn placed another hand over Poe’s in reassurance. “It’ll be okay. How long before you have to head to Texas?”

Poe’s features had relaxed with the added pressure of Finn’s hand, but then he looked pained. “I pretty much have to be on the road tomorrow morning.”

This time Finn sighed out loud. “So, 24 hours.” He leaned in to brush a quick kiss across Poe’s lips. “Let’s make the best of it.”

After Poe reassured him that he remembered the way to Finn’s house, Finn rode his bike home. They set BB up with food, water, and a kitty litter box, and then they were walking out of Finn’s apartment, hand-in-hand. Finn directed Poe to a little diner attached to a truck stop on the highway. “It looks shady, I know, but it’s got good food and unbeatable prices.”

They found a booth with relative privacy, sitting across from each other. Finn felt Poe’s leg slide out, his foot resting against Finn’s, in a way that reminded him so much of the comfort Poe had given Finn after his anxiety attack. “Can I propose something?” Finn asked quietly. Poe gestured for him to go on. “For the next 24 hours, we should ask each other everything we’ve been wondering, nothing off limits, and the other person has to answer as honestly as possible.”

Poe raised one of his eyebrows, eyes full of concern. “I would have thought… I know there are some things you don’t want to talk about. You shouldn’t feel like…”

Finn leaned over the table to be able to brush his hand against Poe’s. “I think you’re worth it, Poe.” He took a deep breath. “I’ll tell you what you want to know, but… I need you to ask.”

Poe nodded. “Okay, then… Are you a cat person?”

Finn laughed, surprised. “I think I could learn to be.” He withdrew his hand as their waiter approached, and they gave their orders. Finn smiled when Poe ordered oatmeal, somehow not surprised. “You know, how come more people don’t go on breakfast dates?  I think you can learn something interesting about what your partner orders.”

A blush crept onto Poe’s cheeks. “Oatmeal probably makes me boring, huh?”

“I have never found you boring, Poe Dameron.”

“I’m pretty good in five minute chunks.” Poe doctored the coffee to his liking. “Okay, I think it’s your turn. To ask me something, I mean.”

Finn made a show of rubbing his chin, pretending to contemplate. “Where’s home? Before home became everywhere?”

“I grew up in southern California, went to college there, too. I didn’t set foot outside California until I got my first consulting gig. It’s been great to travel around the country, see everything I’d never seen before. How about you?”

“I’m actually from California, too. Oakland.” Finn raised his water glass in salute.

“What brought you to Spokane of all places?”

“It’s not so much what brought me here, it’s that I needed to get out of Oakland after… after what happened with my ex.”  Finn paused. “Does it get depressing, being able to pack everything of importance up into one small car?”

Poe smiled. “Not really. It makes things less complicated.”

Finn contemplated that, wondering if he qualified as a complication in Poe’s life. “We should do a lightning round before our food gets here. Favorite color? Mine’s black - don’t say it’s not a color.”

Poe smiled. “Orange. How old are you?”

“26.”

“Hmm. 32. That make a difference to you?”

“Not if it doesn’t to you.”

“I don’t even know your last name.”

“You don’t know I have one. I could be like Prince, or Madonna.”

“Prince had a last name. Prince Nelson.”

“Weird, that’s a coincidence, I’m Finn Nelson.” Poe narrowed his eyes and Finn laughed. “Okay, seriously, I’m Finn Anderson.”

“Favorite movie?”

“The Martian.”

“Matt Damon?”

“Matt Damon. Hey, you didn’t say your favorite movie.”

“Oh, um, honestly I don’t watch a lot of movies?  I did see The Martian though. The science geeks I was working with at the time wouldn’t take “No, we need to get moving on the project” for an answer. Favorite music?”

“Pretty much anything.”

“I like playing stuff on my guitar.”

“See, and this is why we do this. So I can learn you play guitar, which I find fucking hot. Can I change my answer to ‘anything you’re playing’?”

“You don’t even know if I’m any good,” Poe laughed.

Finn hummed. “Yeah, but, baby, I can _imagine.”_  He closed his eyes as if fantasizing, and he heard Poe laugh. When he opened his eyes, Poe’s head was thrown back, and the crinkles were around his eyes were prominent. Finn’s heart stuttered. This was _good._ “Maybe you can play guitar for me later?”

Poe sported a ridiculous grin. “Sure thing.”

“Favorite…weapon for the zombie apocalypse?”

“Oh, don’t even get me started.”

By the time their food had arrived, both of them were wiping tears away. The waiter smiled at them, a little bit like he was wondering about their sanity, before asking if they needed anything else.

They were lingering over their drinks when Finn yawned. “Shit, sorry.”

Poe’s eyes widened in concern. “No, shit, _I’m_ sorry, it’s got to be getting close to your sleeping time, huh?” Poe checked his watch. “And we’ve been here for two hours.”

“Really?” Finn pulled out his phone, saw Poe was right, then swallowed. “But that means… 22 hours. I don’t want to spend part of it sleeping.”

Poe reached across the table and took one of Finn’s hands. “I’m not letting you throw off your sleep schedule for me, Finn.” His voice was firm. “Besides, I’m going to have to do the same, tonight, when you go to work, so I can actually drive tomorrow.”

“Ugh, you’re such an adult.”

“Uh, you fed me muffins for dinner for the entire summer. I think you know that’s not true.”

Finn laughed, then scooted out of the booth. “Touche. Well, then, I don’t ever say this on the first date, but seeing as you’ve already practically spent the night there, Poe Dameron, would you like to come home with me?” He held out his hand.

Poe took it. “I’d be delighted.” He stood, and insisted on paying; when Finn protested, he simply said, “I owe you a drink from like a month ago.” Poe’s card had been taken before Finn could protest further.

BB made a beeline for the door when they opened it, stopping at Poe to curl around his legs and meow. “She’s friendly,” Finn said in surprise.

“She has to be, the amount of traveling we do. She’s such a good kitty, yes she is,” he cooed down at her, leaning over to pet the cat in long strokes.

Finn was torn between laughing at the voice and getting literal heart eyes over how adorable it was. He went with heart eyes. He coughed when Poe looked up at him, smiling. “I’m, uh, I’m going to put my pajamas on, if you don’t mind. You can make yourself comfortable, or explore, not that there’s much to explore here…”

He went through his night routine as fast as he could in the bathroom: changing into a tank and pajama pants, brushing his teeth, performing the exercises that were supposed to keep his back limber. When he came back out, Poe was kneeling on his floor, looking at his paltry DVD collection. He cleared his throat, and Poe looked up at him. “In the bathroom, I was trying to figure out how to say this without being awkward. But in the interest of being as honest as possible… Will you lay down with me? I’m not looking necessarily for sex, I just… I want to spend the most amount of time with you possible,” Finn finished in a rush.

Poe smiled, then got up, moving across the room to take one of Finn’s hands. “I’d be happy to lay down with you. Big spoon or little?”

“Little?” Finn said, question in his voice.

“Lead the way.” Finn walked them to his bed - it really wasn’t that far of a distance, all things considered. Poe started to lift up his t-shirt, then stopped. “Do you mind if I-”

“No, of course, get comfortable.”  Finn pulled back the covers as Poe took his t-shirt off. Poe climbed in, Finn after, Finn placing a chaste kiss across Poe’s lips before turning himself and backing into Poe’s body warmth. Poe settled his arms around Finn, and Finn felt a small press of lips at the top of his spine. Poe was rubbing Finn’s arm, a great sweep from shoulder to elbow, and Finn felt almost like BB. “Ask me,” Finn murmured.

Poe didn’t need any more prompting. “Would you tell me about what happened with your ex?”

Finn felt Poe’s breath on the back of his neck, and exhaled. “His name was Jake.” Finn paused, knew he would have to use a lot of pauses to get through the whole story, but knew that Poe would let him. “We were high school sweethearts, not that we were out about it. But I figured, once we were able to, I always figured, this is the man I’m going to marry some day. We were athletes together - it made a convenient excuse to be found in the locker room all by ourselves. After high school, I got a job, was trying to save up to afford community college and eventually university and become a teacher. A bunch of the guys, including Jake and I, got a house together, and we came out to the others, and felt like we could at least be free at home. A house of kids, you know we partied, of course. Jake’s parents were a little bit better off than mine, so he was attending college, brought that atmosphere back to the house with him. I… I resented him, resented the fact that he was going when he didn’t even know what he wanted to do, and here I was, working all day, busting my butt just to get to where he was.” Finn took a deep breath, in and out. “I know it’s not my fault. I know that. But the first time he hit me, it was because of that, because a stupid fight about me working versus him being in college. We were both drunk. I stayed because this was my man, this was the man I was going to marry.” Poe’s hand was steady on Finn’s arm. “It’s textbook really, almost cliche. The cycle. The hit, the remorse, the make up. But men don’t get abused,” Finn whispered, feeling his eyes start to tear a bit. “Men do the abusing, but men don’t get abused. I stayed with him for years, Poe. Eventually, we moved into our own place, which I know now was just one more way to isolate me, like abusers do. At the time, it was like getting a piece of my own fairy tale ending. I put off the college, because he didn’t want me to go school. I made the stupid decision to put my money under both our names. I let myself be isolated and manipulated and… and…” Finn couldn’t get it out.

“It’s okay, Finn, _querido,_ you can stop.”

Poe’s words distracted him. “You speak Spanish?”

“Uh, well, yeah.” Poe sounded surprised he was being asked. “Sorry, most people assume I do.”

“What’s it mean?”

Finn felt Poe’s nervous laugh on his skin. “Like ‘dear’ or ‘darling.’ That’s probably presumptuous of me…”

Finn shook his head. “I like it. _Querido._ ” Finn snuggled into Poe’s arms more. “You make me feel safe.”

Poe’s “I’m glad” was like a purr against Finn’s neck.

They were silent for a moment. Finn knew Poe meant it. He knew Poe would let him be, let him stop. But Poe had to know. Poe had to hear everything, know everything, or Finn would never be able to maintain any type of relationship with him. Whatever type of relationship this was going to be. “He used me. Used my body.” Even now, after several years of therapy, he couldn’t bring himself to use the word ‘rape.’ “I… I normally got aroused eventually, so I figured it was okay.” Poe’s arms tightened around him, seemingly involuntarily, but then Poe shuddered out a breath and they loosened immediately. “I can’t pinpoint any one thing that was the final straw for me. I just knew I had to get out. I started to realize about the same time as a friend at work, Rey, did. She helped me make a plan. I don’t know what clued him in, but he found out my plans, and did everything he could to stop me. We were in the kitchen, the knife, I swear even now it’s like it just appeared in his hand, and he slashed down my back and no one knows, the police, the doctors, no one can figure it out, but it’s like when a mom finds the strength to lift a car. I overpowered him, fought, and then the knife was in his chest… My back was bad, the cut was deep, no internal organs affected but my muscles were shredded, and I still get spasms, even if I do my exercises. Lots of hospital time, lots of physical therapy, lots of medical bills. Goodbye, college.  Goodbye, California. I couldn’t stand it there anymore, everyone knowing. Everyone judging what I’d done. No one believing I’d been abused. Washington seemed…quieter. Different. My employers know my history but no one else has to.” He let out a shaky breath. “And that’s kind of it.” He waited on Poe’s reaction, holding his breath.

“I’m glad he’s dead.” Finn had heard Poe use that tone of voice before, the night of Finn’s anxiety attack. “I’m really glad you’re not. That you ended up in a drive through espresso stand in Spokane, to feed me muffins.” Poe pressed another kiss to Finn’s spine. “You should rest, _querido._ Go to sleep.” Poe’s hand resumed its path on Finn’s arm.

He knew everything. And Finn wouldn’t blame him if he decided not to take on this copious baggage when he left tomorrow morning, but for now, Poe was staying. Poe knew, and was staying. Finn’s eyes closed.

When he woke, sleepily, he was no longer on his side, but lying on his back, in his empty bed. “Poe?” he managed, voice roughened from sleep. His apartment was dark, but then he heard it, the slow strumming of a guitar, and Finn’s heart calmed when he made out Poe’s dark figure sitting on his couch. He reached over to turn on his bedside light, and Poe looked up at him.

“Hey!” The man looked excited to see him, like he was back at the stand, preparing to hand him a muffin and a cup of tea, and like Finn hadn’t just told him the biggest sob story in the world a few hours ago. Before Finn could kick his feet over the side of the bed, Poe was rushing to him, a bundle of energy. “Good morning, right?”

Finn smiled. “Yeah, good morning.” Finn pushed himself into a partial sitting position, then realized that BB had been curled up at his feet. She let out an annoyed meow and jumped down when Poe sat on the bed too close to her.

“We’ve got an hour or so before you need to go to work, so I thought we could grab something to eat, or-”

“Poe.” Finn’s voice was low.

“Or- yeah?”

“Come here. Please,” Finn added, with a crook of his finger to beckon the man.

Poe scooted closer. “Hi.”

“Hi,” Finn replied, reaching out to run a hand over Poe’s bearded cheek. “You should kiss me.”

“Yeah?” Poe’s face was a combination of eagerness and concern.

“Yeah.”

Poe repositioned himself, kneeling on the bed and leaning over Finn. He closed the gap between them, but surprised Finn by bypassing his lips and heading for his neck. Finn groaned when Poe’s beard tickled the sensitive skin underneath his ear and turned his head, allowing Poe better access. Poe was placing kisses up his throat, over his jawline, until finally settling on Finn’s lips.

They lay like that for awhile, in the quiet, the semi-dark, just mouths and stubble and warm skin. The next time Poe came up for air, he stopped, resting his head on Finn’s shoulder, and steadying his breathing. “Do you want to get something to eat before work?”

Finn knew Poe was giving him an out. Part of him wanted to keep going, to explore Poe before he left for however long he’d be gone. The other part, the bigger part, recognized that he should take the out. “Yeah,” he exhaled heavily. “Let me get dressed.”

This time, they walked to a place on the way to Finn’s work, and sat side by side, and Finn didn’t let go of Poe’s hand until their food had come. The chat was easy, already. Poe told him more about his work, and when he expected to be back from Texas, when he could see Finn again.

“I’d understand if you wanted to keep things open,” Poe said, putting down his fork.

Finn looked him in the eyes. “I don’t really want to.”

“I’m probably going to be as bad a boyfriend as I am a customer. Irregular hours, obsessive with my work.” Poe looked up at Finn as if realizing something for the first time. “You helped me so much here, Finn. What am I going to do without my midnight tea and conversation break in Texas?”

“Well, Texas is two hours ahead so it’s not going to be that bad.” Finn covered Poe’s hand with his. “You’ll call me. And I’ll tell you about the shit day I’ve had with the kids. Or the awesome thing they learned. Or how few tips I got.”

“Right.” He sighed, squeezing Finn’s hand. “I can’t stand the thought of losing you.”

Finn smiled, leaning into his shoulder. “The feeling is mutual.”

They walked lazily to Finn’s work, neither one willing to let go of the other. Finn lingered for a moment, wrapped in Poe’s arms, lips on his, before breaking off and going inside.  He exchanged pleasantries with Thomas, then smiled at a knock on the window. He rolled it open.

“Hey, handsome. The usual?”

Poe smiled up at him. “Just the tea tonight, thanks. I already ate,” he said with a wink.

They talked for awhile, until Finn made Poe leave so he could get some sleep.

His work hours that night seemed to pass by like molasses. His book wasn’t distracting him. All he could think of was the time they’d spent on Finn’s bed.

August 13:

When his shift was finally over, he made up an iced latte with a couple extra shots, and smiled when he found Poe waiting in the back again, car packed and BB strapped in. He handed the latte off. “This is for you. Keep you awake on the road. Make you pee so you have to stop and stretch your legs.” He smiled, then tugged on Poe’s shirt to pull him closer. “This is for you, too, to make sure you remember to come back to me.” Finn covered Poe’s mouth with his, demanding entrance with a lick across Poe’s lip. He tasted the mint of toothpaste. His eyes drifted closed, and he gave it everything he had.

When he pulled back, Poe’s face was pleasantly dopey. “Mission accomplished,” he said, bemused.

Finn cupped Poe’s face in his hand, scratching into his beard a bit. “Text me often. But not while driving. On those pee breaks.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Try to remember to stock up on snacks before you start working on the new project.”

“Yes, sir.” This time, Poe broke into a grin.

“And call me, when you need to. Whenever you need to.”

“Yes, sir.” Poe leaned up, capturing Finn’s mouth one last time before breaking away and getting into the car.

24 four hours, up. And for now, Poe didn’t need to know how long Finn stood on the corner after Poe’s car had driven out of sight.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recently hit 500 followers on tumblr, and picked shes-all-sparks in a contest as the winner of a fic. They requested an update on this fic! Whatever happened to our coffee boys?
> 
> Please note that the rating bumped up to E - there is smut in this fic.

Finn’s text chimed just as he was waking up for his night shift. He rubbed his eyes, thinking idly about how he was going to have to get used to night sleeping again, with school starting up in a few weeks.

When he was reasonably awake, he pulled his phone over, smiling at the fact that Poe’s number was shining on the display.

 **Poe:** BB and I made it to our stop for the night. We already miss you.

_Poe has sent an image._

Finn looked at the picture of BB and Poe curled up together on a hotel bed somewhere between here and Texas. His thumb rubbed over Poe’s shoulder, and he felt a keen sense of longing in his heart. If he was honest with himself, it scared him a little. The last thing Finn needed was to fall into the clutches of another man.

Except Poe wasn’t Jake. He wasn’t sure Poe had a “clutchy” bone in his body.

 **Finn:** We already miss you here, too. My boss is going to be really sad about not selling out on muffins every night.

 **Poe:** Haha

 **Poe:** How much time before your shift starts?

 **Finn:** Thirty minutes or so until I need to be on my bike.

Finn had an inkling about what Poe was planning, but he still jumped a little when the video chat request came through with Poe’s picture.

“Hey, you,” Finn said softly, taking in Poe’s tired eyes.

“Hey, you.”

For a second, Finn worried the conversation was going to be awkward, but then Poe started telling him about how he’d stopped at some roadside attraction promising the world’s largest hog, and Finn couldn’t stop laughing, and everything settled into place.

\---------------------------

And so it continued, Finn getting used to Poe’s soft, sleepy voice in the stand at night - the only difference being, now it was coming out of his phone instead being there in real life. They talked about everything, and nothing. Poe was there to sing him softly to sleep in the morning, too.

It was - Finn was nervous to label them anything, nervous to jump in too deep, too fast. But it was one of the best summers Finn had ever had.

A few days before he needed to return to school, Finn woke on his stomach, sliding his full, heavy cock against the softness of them, seeking friction, seeking- “Oh, god.”

He couldn’t remember what he’d specifcally been dreaming about, just had the lingering sense of Poe, sinking into Poe, becoming one with him and-

His phone chimed. With a groan, Finn reached for it, then accepted the incoming video from Poe. “Hey, honey,” he mumbled, hoping he sounded more tired than horny.

“Morning, baby.” Poe was in bed himself, BB curled up at his side. “How’d you sleep?”

Finn flushed crimson. “Good. Great.” He immediately betrayed himself by yawning. He shifted, rolling over onto his back and taking Poe with him, grateful Poe couldn’t see the tent his cock was making out of his bedsheet.

Poe bit down on his lip in concern - it was a testament to how much time they’d spent together that Finn could tell the difference between his lip bites. “Will it be hard to transition back to school days?”

Finn scrubbed his face, ignoring the throbbing down below. “My last day is tomorrow, so I’ve got a few days to try and get back on track. But yeah, it’s going to suck for a little bit.”

“Everything okay? You sound- different.”

Finn closed his eyes in mortification.

“Finn?” Poe’s voice was gently insistent, and the reminder that they’d agreed to be truthful with each other floated through Finn’s brain.

“I’m horny, okay? I had a dream about you and I woke up hard as a rock and all I want to do is just- just get rid of it but then you called an-”

“Coitus interruptus. Buddy, I am _so_ sorry.” Poe’s face wasn’t sorry. Poe’s face was sporting a huge, shit-eating grin.

Finn blushed harder.

The camera jostled as Poe repositioned himself on his side and tucked a hand under his cheek. “We haven’t- we haven’t really talked about this,” he murmured.

Finn took a deep breath. “I’ve- I’ve got a lot of issues with- with- with-”

“Shhh, _querido_ , it’s okay. You don’t have to say any more.”

“I wish I didn’t- I wish I could be normal and-”

“We all wish we could be normal,” Poe murmured. “But we are what we are. And you, Finn, are perfectly safe. I don’t expect anything from you. We can stop this conversation right now and talk- fuck, I don’t know. Baseball.”

Finn smiled a little at the tired light of Poe’s eyes. He watched BB’s stomach move up and down as she snoozed on the bedspread. He took a deep breath, and met Poe’s eyes again. “And if we did continue the conversation?”

Interest flitted through Poe’s eyes. “Well. Well, then, that might be interesting.” Poe readjusted again, his fingers coming up to brush over his phone - over Finn’s face, he realized. “Which way do you want it to go? You’re in control, Finn. And if you change your mind, you can do that, too. Your pace.”

Finn tapped Poe’s lips on his screen. “Can I tell you about my dream?”

Poe grinned. “Go for it, _querido.”_

“I was with you - we were together. And you- I was- You were beneath me, so lovely, Poe.”

“Oh?” Poe’s voice was a little thicker, and Finn saw him reach his other hand down his body. “Do you mind if I-?”

Finn shook his head. “No. You?”

“No, gorgeous. Make yourself feel good.” Poe’s smile was sweet.

Finn took another deep breath and reached under the stretchy band of his pajamas, to where his cock was still hard. He rolled his thumb over the tip, smearing at the precum there. “Mmmph.”

“So I was underneath you, huh?”

“Yeah, you- you felt so good underneath me, wrapped around me.”

“Were you fucking me?”

“Yeah-” Finn let out a whoosh of breath. “Yeah, I- is that okay? I know it’s not _manly_ to bottom, to-”

Poe held his gaze. “ _Querido._ I want you to fuck me. You want to fuck me?”

“ _Fuck_ yes.” Finn pumped his cock in his fist, imagining sinking into Poe’s warmth instead.

“Fuck gender norms. Fuck _me._ Oh, god, Finn, fuck me.” Poe’s bicep was twitching fast.

Finn watched, in awe that his words had turned Poe on so much. “Show me, please, Poe, show me.”

Poe huffed out a laugh and angled the phone away from his face, to where his hand was shuttling over his hard cock. “Ah, god, Finn-”

Finn moaned, trying to show his cock off for Poe, too. “You sound so beautiful, Poe.” He matched the quick rhythm of Poe’s strokes and came suddenly at the sight of Poe’s cum shooting out over his hand.

He readjusted the angle, saw Poe do the same, both their faces flush and sweaty, their chests rising rapidly. Finn broke out into a huge grin and watched Poe's face mirror it. He trailed his fingers over the screen. “That was nice.”

Poe’s grin made eye crinkles pop out on his face. “Damn right it was.”

“I should probably go take a shower before work.”

Poe grin turned lazy, now. “Mmm. You could take me with you. Prop me up on the sink so I can watch.”

Finn laughed. “You aren’t serious?”

“Nah, I think the phone would get all foggy and water damaged. Still. I’m going to go to sleep, dreaming of you in the shower.”

Finn blushed up to the roots of his hair. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” The happy, sated pleasure in Poe’s eye was really all the confirmation he needed. “Good night, querido.”

“Good night, baby. Sweet dreams.”

“Mmmhmm. Hopefully as sweet as yours were.”

Eventually, after exchanging a few more rounds of pleasantries with Poe, Finn pulled himself out of bed and shuffled to the shower. The look of desire in Poe’s eyes was- was heartening, Finn decided. It could be good between them, in person-

Finn’s mind was seized with sudden panic at the thought of Poe actually _touching_ him in person, and he closed his eyes, letting the water beat directly down on his head to reground himself in reality. _Poe can’t touch you, Poe can’t hurt you, Poe isn’t here._

Slowly, very slowly, he was able to change that narrative to _Poe wouldn’t hurt you. Poe isn’t Jake._ Still, by the time he did, the earlier pleasant mood had completely vanished.

Was he just leading Poe on? Would he ever be able to actually _be_ with someone, share their space, ever again?

The thoughts spiralled in and around Finn’s head as he biked to work, exchanged hellos and goodbyes with Kim in a daze.The first few hours of his shift passed quickly.

When his phone pinged with the video chat from Poe, his heart beat went into overdrive and he almost lost it right then and there. It wasn't unusual for Poe to call in the middle of the night - more than likely, something had woken Poe up, and he just needed a chat to come down. Unfortunately, Finn felt like that was the last thing he could offer Poe tonight. With a shaky finger, he pressed the button to accept the call, figuring it would be better to get this over with.

“Hey, querido.” Poe’s voice was as satisfied and breezy as it had been earlier.

“Hi,” Finn mumbled, and Poe’s brow furrowed.

“What’s wrong, Finn?” He watched Poe sit up in bed and focus his entire attention on Finn.

Finn collapsed against the counter, scrubbing a hand over his face, trying to figure out how to say- “I don’t think I can make this work, Poe.”

There was silence as Poe frowned and processed. Finn could practically _see_ all the wheels in his head turning. Finally, he murmured, “What do you mean, Finn?”

“I- I- I-”

“Take a breath, querido.” Poe’s voice was anxious now, as anxious as Finn felt. “Can you get a glass of water for me, Finn? Can you take a slow drink?”

Finn’s joints were stiff when he went to comply. The cool water felt good on his aching throat.

“I wish I could be there to rub your back,” Poe practically whispered.

“I- I just said I don’t think I can make this work, why-” Finn bit off the question.

Poe answered anyway. “I’d like to talk about it, when we’re both less anxious.”

Finn sighed. “You don’t get to decide if I’m in a relationship or not. _I_ get to decide. _I_ get to leave.”

“Yes, I agree.”

Finn looked sharply down at his phone, at Poe’s face. “So why do you want to talk?”

“I’d like to know if I did something wrong? I mean, obviously, I did something wrong. And, um. I’m going to miss you, so-”

“You didn’t do anything wrong. Not yet, anyway,” Finn murmured.

Poe just watched him in silence. It wasn’t an angry silence, at least.

“I can’t do this because- because I’m too messed up. I don’t- I don’t know if I could ever let _anyone_ touch me again, Poe. Not- not the way we were saying earlier.”

“Oh, _querido,_ Finn, baby. I’m so- I’m so sorry,” Poe said helplessly.

Suddenly, Finn wished he could jump through the screen and cuddle into Poe’s arms. He’d found comfort there before, he remembered. He’d even been able to- to _kiss_ Poe, without- without this panic.

Because Poe wasn’t Jake. In a billion ways, Poe wasn’t Jake.

Mentally tired, Finn leaned against the counter. “I don’t know if I can share my life with someone again. This- this relationship, it’s worked so far because- because I know I get to go home alone, and be alone whenever I want, and make my own decisions.”

“I don’t want to take that away from you.” Poe’s eyes were quiet and sincere.

“But if- I don’t know if I’d ever be able to do something like move in with you, or share a bed. Or, um. Sex.”

Strangely, Poe smiled. “You’ve been thinking about living with me?”

Finn blushed, then cleared his throat. “In the sense that it gives me a great deal of anxiety to think about, yes, I’ve been thinking about it. Why are you smiling?”

“I don’t like knowing that you’re having anxiety about it. But I _do_ like knowing that you’re thinking about a future with me.”

“A future that I’m not sure would work, Poe,” Finn replied, frustrated.

“A future, though. A way, way, way distant future. So distant we have plenty of time to work that kind of thing out, if you wanted.”

Finn frowned, and let that thought simmer in his brain. As he did, a flash of headlights came through the drive-through. “I’ve got a customer, I’m setting you down for a sec.”

“I’ll be here,” Poe murmured sincerely, and it warmed right through to Finn’s heart.

He let himself drift through the pleasantries exchanged with the customers - a family pushing through on their last day of a road trip - and making their drinks - steamed milks for the kids to get them to sleep, a triple for the mom driving, a double for the dad who was on ‘don’t let my wife fall asleep duty. By the time they were gone, 8 minutes had passed, and Poe was reading when Finn picked up the phone again.

He watched Poe read for a few seconds before he got his attention. “So you see a way, way distant future for us, too?”

Poe’s eyes warmed as he smiled again. “I do. One where we have plenty of time to figure out how it’s going to work. With two geniuses working on it, we should be able to come up with a solution by then.”

“I’m not a genius,” Finn said automatically, but Poe was already clucking his tongue.

“Takes a genius to know a genius, genius,” he said lightly, running his thumb over the screen.

Bebe jumped up into Poe’s face and blocked the phone, letting the moment slide by, which relieved Finn even as it made him laugh.

“Look, Bebe, it’s Finn. Can you say hi to Finn?”

Bebe let out a loud, inquisitive _m’row?_ and stuck her ass right in the cell phone’s video camera.

“Bebe likes to bare all,” Finn said with a laugh.

With deft hands, Poe readjusted Bebe into his lap to pet, and grinned at the screen. “Well, she just wanted to give you a taste of what it would be like to wake up with _her_ as your roommate. Cat butt at 5am, it’s her major selling point.”

Finn laughed again, and relaxed again, as they fell into their easy banter. When Poe started chain-yawning, Finn made him get off the phone.

“Okay, okay. But, um, before I go- are we still, uh, whatever this is?”

Finn chewed on his lips, looking at the bags under Poe’s eyes, his heart melting a little. “We’ve got plenty of time?”

Poe nodded. “Plenty of time. No rush on anything. I-” Poe’s eyes angled away, and his cheeks went a little red. “I’d kind of given up, actually. No one wants to be with a guy who’s never home.”

“No one wants to be with a guy who doesn’t want them in their home,” Finn returned.

Poe smiled shyly at him. “I do.”

Finn couldn’t help but smile back. “I do, too.” He blew a small kiss to the screen, feeling silly as he did so. “So yeah, I think we’re still- still whatever this is. Sorry. That probably won’t be the last time I freak out over nothing.”

“No apologies necessary or wanted, querido.” Poe kissed his fingers and touched the screen. “Completely valid concerns. I’m glad you brought them up with me.”

Finn nodded. “I- yeah, actually, I’m kind of proud of myself for doing that, too.”

Poe beamed at him. “As well you should be.” He yawned again, his eyes drooping. “Good night, querido.”

“Good night, Poe.”

Finn watched the screen until Poe hung up and it went back to his lock screen - which was, he grinned dopily with realization, a picture of Poe with Bebe curled in his lap. Finn’s new little world, right on his screen.

He settled on the stool and pulled out his book with a smile on his face.


End file.
